Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-03-12

of child.''
Its cutting eye-teeth, poor dear" " in
terposed Mrs Hyde.
And this morning, on making in
quiries," relentlessly went ON the bach
elor, II learned that you had actually
taken in your widowed niece and her
twin babies. Twins, ma'aml One
would have been enough-too much, in
fact-but when it comes 70 twins
Patty had nowhere else TO 90, sir, I"
said Mrs. Hyde, apologetically. "and
she'll be useful about the house. Patty's
agood girl, sir!'
81 dare say" said Mr.. MARVEL. "But
! can't stay in the same house with twins
so, as before remai ked, put up bill
as soon as you Please"
rPlease, sir, l Ill put Patty and The
children on tho top floor, where they
can't possibly disturb you, if"
I tell you once for all. ma'am that
can't tolerate children and won't. Will
you be kind enough to leave me now?n
SO Mrs. Hyde went down stairs to
burst into tears, back of the pantrv
door, where Patty Smith, with one twin
tiea in the high chair and the other
swarmlng over the floor, like amagnified
beetle, was beating eggs for the dinnei
custard.
"Aunty, what's the matter2" de-
manded Patty, still whisking vigorously
away at the custard
He's going, my dear"
"Who2 Mr.. Marvell2"
eyes"
"well, let him go, aunty," said
Fatty, cheerfully. She ras a dlmpled
pretty, little lady. with pleasant, black
eyes and black hair, parted low on her
torehead--not quite twenty, in spite of
her widowhood and her twinsl "It's
cheerful room-youll soon fill up the
vacancy"
But not wi ! such mar as Phirsss h Us
Patty, you don't know him"
~ know he must be crusty old
piece, aunty, or he never would object
to the dear, darling little babies, said
Patty, with a loving glance at the twins:
"Don't fret now, there's dearl It'll
all come right, see If it dent. I'll write
an advertisement myself, and take it
down to the newspaper Office this very
afternoon!"
So Mr.. MARVEL packed up his goods
and left and Mrs. Hyde cried.
"It seems such pity" said she, "af-
ter ten years"
Don't mind it, auntY," said the
courageous Patty "I'm sure he must
be selfish creature, or he never would
serve you so."
Hardly month had elapsed when a
sour-visaged woman came to the Hyde
house and requested an audience with
the mistress thereof.
''You know old MARVEL, supposeY"
said she.
81 know Mr.. Phineas Marvell." an
swered Mrs. Hyde, with dignity.
"Well, it's all the same,' retorted she
Of the acidulated countenance. "He'a
boarded at our house three weeks and
four days. He's down with the small
pox."
"Oh, my" calculated Mrs. Hyde.
''Poor dear soul. And who takes care
of himl"
That's just the very question:, said
the visitor. II can't. I've got my own
family, as never has had the smallpox,
to think of-and the other boarders has
all cleared out, and the doctor don't
know of no one as would be willing to
undertake the risk. P'raps you could
GOMEZ"
Mrs. Hyde visibly recoiled.
"N-norn she answered. 81 would
rather not. AS you say yourself, it's a
great risk to run, and -"
But Patty Smith, who had listened in
silence heretofore, stepped forward.
"I'll go. aunty," said she, 'if you'll
take care of the twins. l have had the
smallpox. am not afraid of it."
'.But, Patty, | thought you disliked
Mr.. MARVEL 30 much?"
81 did," said Patty, with smile and
a shrug of her shoulders. 'But it isn't
worth While to think of that now. He
is sick, and solitary, and he is fellow
creature. That is enough" "
And Patty packed her little bundle,
kissed the peachy, unconscious cheeks OF
the twins. and went on her mission.
What a disconsolate scene was that
in the midst of which lay Mr.. MARVEL,
tossing on bed of sickness A fircless
CRATE; undraped windows, through
which the sun beat with merclless brill
lance; dust in every spot on which dust
could possibly light, and pillow and bed
linen week old.
''I'll soon set all these matters
straight" said Patty, moving around
with the quick decision that was natural
to her. And within half an hour the
scene had assumed moro home-like
look, even to the staring, unconscious
eyes of the dcliIious man.
"Who are you2 Anangels" heasked,
lowering his voice to n whisper.
No" she answered, smiling in spite
OF herself Tin Patty"
Don't leave me-" he urged. "It's SC
dreadful to lie left alone"
"No," she answered; won't"
Phineas MARVEL lay i'll for q month
and with slow recovery came sense OF
all that Patty Smith had done for him.
'T'll tell you what, said the doctor,
on the day that he made his last profes-
sional visit, ''if 1t hadn't been for Mrs.
smith you would have been snugly
slowed away between four mahogany
boards by this time, my friend"
81 know It," Mr.. MARVEL answered.
"Well," said Mrs. Hyde, when at last
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